This application relates generally to communications networks. More specifically, the disclosure provided herein relates to methods and systems for providing fault detection and management in communications networks.
The complexity and prevalence of communications networks, systems, and associated services have increased over the past several years. Many new applications are increasingly complex in terms of the resources required to operate and deliver the applications, the application functions, and storage architecture, for example. The resources necessary to conceive, develop, activate, and eventually to provide increasingly complex applications continue to increase.
In addition to the increasing complexity of applications and services, there is increased demand for applications and services that traverse various network technologies and systems. Thus, a particular service may involve multiple operations support systems (OSS) and business support systems (BSS) to function on a network. For example, users are becoming increasingly reliant upon network-based applications and services, as well as native applications on portable and fixed devices such as IPTV, voice and data services, mobile services, and the like. Many networks and network devices that provide these services are provided by, and in some cases operated by, a network operator, a third party, and/or various entities and can operate and function in dissimilar ways.
From a network management standpoint, these various networks and network devices often report operational information in different ways. For example, the networks and network devices may employ particular network management approaches and technologies for monitoring operation of the network system, and network management personnel associated with particular networks and network devices may rely upon specific, and varied, network management systems and methods. Furthermore, modern networks increasingly rely upon third party vendors to provide hardware and/or software for offered services. These hardware and software devices frequently operate and report according to systems, methods, and even protocols that are not the same as the network providing the services.